Motherfletcher
<font color=red>Proud Redhead<br><font color=peach
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2003
- Messages
- 3,823
We decided to give the Wilma cleanup a break and give thanks that we made through the storm with the minimal damage that we incurred. We got up early to avoid traffic, drove to Orlando on the back roads and checked into RPR at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. I asked for an upgrade and the check in clerk asked if I wanted to pay the $35 for an upgrade and I told her that I was looking for a complimentary upgrade since I was Platinum. She apologized and said that she thought my Loew's 1st card was Gold. I got in a side conversation with the other check in girl (don't remember her name but reminded me of Pia) who remembered us from our hurricane evacuation stay. I told her that the room she tried to get us with a view and allowed pets was not available at 4 so we ended up in another. My clerk returned and found a King Suite for us in Tower 1 and it was ready! At 8 a.m.! When you get to check in that early it feels like you had a whole extra day. Room #1200 had a lovely view of the back of the towel hand out hut which was doubling as the Bula Bar during construction. It wasn't too bad with the bamboo screening. This was the first trip with DW when we received a King Suite and her jaw dropped to the floor. The kids fetched the luggage and we were moved in with 2 twin air mattresses blown up in less than a half hour. DW's APH had expired 3 days earlier and she didn't want to renew it. I think she only went with us to parks on 4 visits in the last year and doesn't share our love for the attractions. She wanted to go shopping but nothing but Kmart was open on Thanksgiving. We dropped her off at the Turkey Lake/ Sandlake Kmart and returned to RPR.
We boarded the boat and when we got to CityWalk docks I flipped a coin saying, "Heads we go to Universal and Tails we go to IOA!" I couldn't catch the coin and it rolled of the dock onto the landing at the Boat Capt's feet, "Tails! IOA it is!" He informs us with a smile. The kids made fun of my inability to catch a quarter for the entire walk to IOA. We got to the turnstile at 9:50 and there was about 200 people ahead of us in line. This gave us enough time to individually use the restrooms while the others saved places in line. DD12 asked why it was so crowded and I told her that it seemed that way because we always get there before the park opens and never have more than 10 people ahead of us in line.
We made the clockwise tour of the park fairly uneventful with the excetion of our second JPRA ride where my son caught a cap that fell off of a front row passenger. I wondered why he looked odd in the photo. They both kept it a secret until we were deep into Lost Continent because they knew I would make them return it. At 17 he is getting too old/big to spank so I let him keep it. We finished the tour in record time and return to RPR to find an unexpected welcome amenity. It was a basket with a Spidey mug, an IOA phot frame, M&Ms and good candy bars. The kids wanted to tear it up and I stopped them so we could show Mom. A couple of minutes later a knock came while I was in the other room and I came out to see our welcome gift had been exchanged for Cookies and Milk. It wasn't long before a knock and the maid gave the kids back a half eaten bag of peanut M&Ms they had already torn into. The kids wanted to go get Mom early so they could eat the cookies so we were off to Kmart and quickly returned to RPR.
I called Star Services because the remote control on the living room TV didn't work. The girl said it needed batteries and I tried to tell her that it wasn't that but let her send someone up to check it. Two guys from engineering showed up quickly but DD and DW had enough time to fall asleep in the bedroom. They tried the battery route and couldn't figure it out and had to leave. I told them it wasn't any biggie but wanted to rent a movie later and didn't want to watch it in the bedroom. It wasn't long until they return with the boss who I kidded as being the TV "Expert". He finally discovered that the box wasn't pulled in and we had a good laugh.
Time for Thanksgiving Dinner!
Since the boat dock was full of guests waiting to board the boat we walked on to the bus stop. The buses have undergone a change about 2 months ago to this hip wallpapered hotel logo (one from each hotel) scene on the side, smaller (only 18 seats), and has 2 video monitors that play USO commercials nonstop. The driver took us directly to the HRH bus stop. She told us she returned at :15 and :45 after the hour. I thoght we weren't going to get into HRh because the bus stop/ boat dock entrance has a key entry but the door was open. Outside of the Kitchen was a clown making balloon animales for the kids. DD12 had to have one so DS17 and I took a walk around the pool. It was too cool for swimming but the deck had a lot of sun bathers.
We were seated a little earlier than our 2:30 ressies and it wasn't packed. The buffet was awesome. Everything was delicious. Scooby Doo came around and we took a photo. Shrek stopped by for quite awhile and we took a belly comparison photo. He tried to lift some of DD12's french fries. The most fun we had was with the Magician. He must have enjoyed us too because he stayed at our table for a long time. He was from San Antonio and had relatives in the Rio Grande Valley and had a good chat with my wife. He did card tricks that even included an 8 ball, he did sponge balls, coins and a bit with a swizzle stick. DD12 tried to show him a trick and got embarrassed so I saved her with my rubber coin and misdirection coin drop bits that impressed our entertainer. We had alot of laughs that helped digest the great food. With a healthy tip it was $150 for the 4 of us. Our bus driver was right on time and took us straight back to RPR.
After a short rest we took the bus again to US and went to Horror Make-Up. I have always liked this show and this time was no exception. DS17 got a little disturbed by the direction they have gone with the latex/playtex gag. We went on to MIB and rode 4 times. I talked to quite a few of the old time attendants who told me that different parts of the attraction have been down for quite a while. I noticed that the sensors on the big bug still didn't work and the car averages were way off.
We returned to RPR and rented Red Eye which we all enjoyed.
I'll have to post the rest of our trip later. I'm a one finger typer and its tired!
We boarded the boat and when we got to CityWalk docks I flipped a coin saying, "Heads we go to Universal and Tails we go to IOA!" I couldn't catch the coin and it rolled of the dock onto the landing at the Boat Capt's feet, "Tails! IOA it is!" He informs us with a smile. The kids made fun of my inability to catch a quarter for the entire walk to IOA. We got to the turnstile at 9:50 and there was about 200 people ahead of us in line. This gave us enough time to individually use the restrooms while the others saved places in line. DD12 asked why it was so crowded and I told her that it seemed that way because we always get there before the park opens and never have more than 10 people ahead of us in line.
We made the clockwise tour of the park fairly uneventful with the excetion of our second JPRA ride where my son caught a cap that fell off of a front row passenger. I wondered why he looked odd in the photo. They both kept it a secret until we were deep into Lost Continent because they knew I would make them return it. At 17 he is getting too old/big to spank so I let him keep it. We finished the tour in record time and return to RPR to find an unexpected welcome amenity. It was a basket with a Spidey mug, an IOA phot frame, M&Ms and good candy bars. The kids wanted to tear it up and I stopped them so we could show Mom. A couple of minutes later a knock came while I was in the other room and I came out to see our welcome gift had been exchanged for Cookies and Milk. It wasn't long before a knock and the maid gave the kids back a half eaten bag of peanut M&Ms they had already torn into. The kids wanted to go get Mom early so they could eat the cookies so we were off to Kmart and quickly returned to RPR.
I called Star Services because the remote control on the living room TV didn't work. The girl said it needed batteries and I tried to tell her that it wasn't that but let her send someone up to check it. Two guys from engineering showed up quickly but DD and DW had enough time to fall asleep in the bedroom. They tried the battery route and couldn't figure it out and had to leave. I told them it wasn't any biggie but wanted to rent a movie later and didn't want to watch it in the bedroom. It wasn't long until they return with the boss who I kidded as being the TV "Expert". He finally discovered that the box wasn't pulled in and we had a good laugh.
Time for Thanksgiving Dinner!
Since the boat dock was full of guests waiting to board the boat we walked on to the bus stop. The buses have undergone a change about 2 months ago to this hip wallpapered hotel logo (one from each hotel) scene on the side, smaller (only 18 seats), and has 2 video monitors that play USO commercials nonstop. The driver took us directly to the HRH bus stop. She told us she returned at :15 and :45 after the hour. I thoght we weren't going to get into HRh because the bus stop/ boat dock entrance has a key entry but the door was open. Outside of the Kitchen was a clown making balloon animales for the kids. DD12 had to have one so DS17 and I took a walk around the pool. It was too cool for swimming but the deck had a lot of sun bathers.
We were seated a little earlier than our 2:30 ressies and it wasn't packed. The buffet was awesome. Everything was delicious. Scooby Doo came around and we took a photo. Shrek stopped by for quite awhile and we took a belly comparison photo. He tried to lift some of DD12's french fries. The most fun we had was with the Magician. He must have enjoyed us too because he stayed at our table for a long time. He was from San Antonio and had relatives in the Rio Grande Valley and had a good chat with my wife. He did card tricks that even included an 8 ball, he did sponge balls, coins and a bit with a swizzle stick. DD12 tried to show him a trick and got embarrassed so I saved her with my rubber coin and misdirection coin drop bits that impressed our entertainer. We had alot of laughs that helped digest the great food. With a healthy tip it was $150 for the 4 of us. Our bus driver was right on time and took us straight back to RPR.
After a short rest we took the bus again to US and went to Horror Make-Up. I have always liked this show and this time was no exception. DS17 got a little disturbed by the direction they have gone with the latex/playtex gag. We went on to MIB and rode 4 times. I talked to quite a few of the old time attendants who told me that different parts of the attraction have been down for quite a while. I noticed that the sensors on the big bug still didn't work and the car averages were way off.
We returned to RPR and rented Red Eye which we all enjoyed.
I'll have to post the rest of our trip later. I'm a one finger typer and its tired!
